Have a substrate question.

[Tim_M]

Hello all, i am new here and have been enjoying the site.

I have done a search for sphagnum peat moss, and have not got quite the answer i was looking for.

I have 1 Hermann's and i was wondering about the substrate, as i would like to change it. I am having a hard time finding Top soil right now where i am at. I am in northern Alberta.

I was in my local walmart today, and picked up a bag of stuff called Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss. It says on the bag that all it contains is Canadian sphagnum peat moss, so i am not too concerned about it having anything else in it. Have any of you ever used this or something close to it before? I also have some play sand to mix in with it as well.

Do you guys and gals think this mix will be ok for a small Hermann's?

Thanks.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

I don't think the sphagnum you got should be a problem. You can always rinse it once before using it (kinda sounds weird to rinse moss lol). Would you layer the two or what? What do you mean by mix? And in what ratios?

 

[Tim_M]

This stuff i got basically just looks like dirt. it does have some small twigs in with it though.

I have just read that people mix up like a 50/50 of topsoil and playsand together to use as a substrate for their torts. I have also read to use a 70/30 mix of the soil/sand.

I was going to mix this stuff with the sand in the same way. I was going to try the 70/30 mix to start out with first.

 

[GBtortoises]

For my young Mediterranean tortoises when kept indoors I use a mixture of approximately:

60% organic potting soil

25% coconut coir (Zoo Med Eco Earth brand)

15% ground sphagnum moss and leaf litter

I have it about 2" in the young tortoises enclosures and spray it twice daily, especially in the areas that they like to bury themselves in. Along with this substrate I have several flat rocks so that they have harder materials to occasionally walk on in order to provide good solid footing since the organic substrate has a lot of give to it.

I was using some play sand in the above mix but have recently decided to stop because I cannot see where it serves any useful purpose. It only becomes a potential problem by sticking to the tortoises bodies, eyes and food.

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Hello. Welcome to the forum. I also keep a young Hermans, and i have her on 50/50 playsand and organic soil which i get from my local garden centre. Imoisten it every few days. I also use maybe a handfull of Aspen bedding (sold for snakes, at my local reptile store) which i put over the soil/sand where the hide is. I have never had any problems.

 

[Tim_M]

Thanks everyone. I might give it a shot once i get Hermans new table built.

If anyone else has any good or bad things to say about this stuff let me know.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not sure, but it sounds like what you've bought might be a mixture of sphanum and peat. I've always thought that peat was a little too acidic to use as a substrate.